Happy Halloween! Ultimate Zoey 101 (google 'Ultimate Zoey 101 Proboard') turns 1 year old this thursday. 1 year!
One shot: someone or something wants revenge on the gang.
The Legend of the Late Rose Loller
"They say she wanders the graveyard every halloween..." Logan said softly. "Looking for her lost love." Lola was hanging on his every word.
"Wow..." Zoey said. "I gotta admit that's one of your best stories."
"It's not a story it's true!" He protested adamantly. "Go ask the chapel down the street. By the beach... near the graveyard," Logan spoke so earnestly, even the skeptical Zoey was almost taken in. "Rose Loller." He nodded.
"That's so romantic... and creepy." Lola said.
"And so fake." Said Quinn gagging.
"It's true!" Logan stressed again. He looked at the rest of the circle. "You believe me right guys?" Zoey, Chase and Michael knew better than to take sides so they just shrugged.
"I believe you." Said Lola automatically. Dustin nodded in agreement.
"Me too."
"Oh puh-lease!" Quinn said haughtily. "It's the most movie-of-the-weekish story I've heard this week... and I watch novellas!" She argued. "Some woman, her husband abandons her at the alter, she goes insane and she hangs herself in the chapel and haunts the church forevermore. Boohoo. Big yawn."
"Shut up." Logan growled, the nerdy genius having started to try his patience.
She rolled her eyes. Logan was beyond irritated that she didn't believe him.
"If it's true..." She said with a smile. "Prove it..."
"How?"
"Go to the graveyard...tonight." Her smile was a smirk now. "And get 'Rose' on film... you can borrow my 'ghost hunting equipment'..."
"Your camcorder?" Zoey asked. Quinn looked sheepish.
"Yeah." She nodded.
"No way!" Logan said. Lola squeaked.
"Scared of your little made up ghosty?" Quinn said with a whimper. Zoey was used to Quinn being this sarcastic and snappy, but only ever on Logan. She was sweet and shy and intellectual with everyone else. Logan just rubbed her up the wrong way.
"I'm NOT scared." He huffed. "I'll come if you come."
"Can't." She said feigning sympathy. "Date with Mark. We're going to see 'Zombie Einstein Ate My Brain!'."
"I'd go with you." Michael said.
"Me too!" Dustin piped up, eager to go ghost hunting with the older boys. Chase nodded.
"I'd be willing to check it out." Hearing all the boys agree Zoey refused to be left out.
"I'm in." She agreed. They all looked at Lola who gave a frightened.
"Ok... but if Rose eats my face... I blame you." She said to Quinn who shrugged.
"I'll protect you." Michael suggested. Lola looked even more worried.
"Any better offers?" She asked hopefully. Logan looked a bit fed up.
"I uhm... guess we're going to the graveyeard."
"Everybody ready?" Logan asked the assembled group. Zoey was looking out the window at the rain.
"Should we even go?"
"Yes." Logan snapped. "We have to show Quinn-the-spaz a thing or two about calling me a liar." Zoey cringed, Chase grimaced, Michael hit his palm to his face, Lola shook her head and Dustin looked 'Uh Oh'. "She's behind me..." He said defeatedly "Isn't she." Everyone nodded.
"I uhm... came to... to give... to give you this..." Quinn stuttered distractedly, handing him her camcorder. Logan tried his hardest not to feel guilty. After the last incident he had promised not to call her that again. This time she didn't even look mad, she looked hurt.
"Quinn I..." He broke off knowing there was nothing he could say to stop what was about to happen.
"Forget it." She whispered tearfully. "A promise obviously means nothing to you..." She turned on her heel and ran.
"Was she... crying..." Lola asked in shock. Zoey made to go after her but Logan stopped her.
"Leave her be. I'll..." he cringed at his next word. "Apologise later." He said, "We'll miss our bus." With that the gang made their way down the streets full of PCA'ers and other random children in various costumes. Fights were breaking out over candy, children bickering over who's costume was better, the joy of halloween.
Zoey sat beside Dustin on the bus who looked frightened.
"Y'ok kiddo?"
"Fine..." He said distractedly. Then he blurted. "What if she wants to take me? And... and dead-marry me?"
"Why would she want to dead marry you?" Zoey laughed.
"Her fiance... the one that never showed up to the wedding... that disappeared and nobody ever saw again. His name was Justin!" Dustin breathed. Zoey smiled.
"Logan tell you that?" Dustin nodded slowly. "Chillax. He's only trying to scare you." She rubbed her brothers shoulder. Dustin didn't look too impressed by this, and looked even less impressed when everyone bustled and jostled him as they stepped off the bus. There was an ethereal quality to the air, the skeletal fall trees were unusually still and the orange glow lit everything from beyond the hill as bonfires polluted the sky.
"I wanna go home." Dustin whispered taking in his surroundings.
"Well you can't." Logan snapped. "Stop bein' such a baby..." he paused looking at the creaky old gate of the church then looked at Zoey slightly frightenedly. "Uh... Ladies first." He offered. Zoey rolled her eyes.
"Oh brother. Come on let's get this over with." She lead her little brother into the graveyard and almost instantly a fog seemed to set in.
"Wh...what's going on?" Dustin stuttered
"It's just the position of the chapel." Zoey soothed as Chase followed behind her. "It's on a hill, so the streetlights are hitting the dew from the rain, and the moon's reflecting off the sea make it kinda misty." She promised him.
"It's kinda cold..." Chase said eventually, Lola and Logan having come in the graveyard together and Michael following behind with a flashlight. Zoey nodded.
"I'm frozen. I wish I'd brought a jacket," She agreed. Chase looked thoughtful for a moment then removed his own jacket.
He placed it over her shoulders, and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind to help zip it up. His chin was on her shoulder so their cheeks brushed. She smiled.
"Aww, thanks." She couldn't help but blush as Chase let go of her. Trying to shake that thought from her mind, they continued on.
"Where exactly are we looking?" asked Michael flitting the camera around the cemetery for any sign of Rose.
"Inside the chapel maybe?" Logan suggested.
"It'll be locked..." Dustin said hopefully, looking at the silhouette of the church against the moon.
"No way man..." Chase shook his head, not able to stop thinking how good Zoey looked in his jacket. "This place has been abandonned for years." Dustin sighed as the group began to slowly go up the hill.
As Chase said the place was abandonned, and the heavy oak doors pushed open with an almighty heave from all 6 of them. Lola screamed as a solitary bat flew out. She gripped Michael's hand tightly.
"OUCH!" he complained. She dropped it hurriedly and ignored his muttering of 'stupid bat stupid lola stupid church stupid cemetery' The stone floor made all their footsteps echo, and Zoey began to get the uneasy feeling they were being watched. Logan stopped at the alter and looked up. A low hung rafter stood out immediately. Lola squeaked.
"That's... where she hung herself from?" Logan nodded.
"I guess so..." He whispered. Zoey shivered and turned around.
"You still cold?" Chase asked her.
"No I just thought... I thought I heard... nevermind." She tried and tried but she could not shake the feeling of someone standing behind them, watching them.
"Well," Said Michael. "I guess we're setting up camp." He then smiled. "I BROUGHT SANDWICHES." At this everyone was thankful, and took a sandwich. Even Dustin seemed calm. Lola jumped as a mouse ran past them.
"I'm gonna investigate." Logan said standing up. He took the flashlight from Michael and began walking up and down the rows of dusty seats, searching for 'proof' of his story. He cringed at a spider as big as his head skuttled past over a vacant chair arm. The cobwebs and dust made everything seem unreal. He was vaguely aware of Michael's filming him. Logan dropped his flashlight hearing a piercing scream outside. Everyone was on their feet within seconds. Logan picked up the flashlight and hurried back to the group.
"What was that?" Chase asked.
"Uhm... Maybe it was a trick or treater?" Michael suggested hopefully.
"All the way up here?" Zoey asked skeptically. She cuddled Chase's jacket closer to her. "No way."
"Zoey!" Dustin said frightenedly. "She's comin to get me!" He clung onto his sisters stomach tightly. The silence was a comfort to Zoey.
"Logan!" She snapped. "You scared my little brother half to death!" She reached across and smacked the side of his head.
"Ouch! Hey you said he was old enough to listen to the scary stories." He snapped back. A scream tore the silence again and this time Zoey stepped backwards and fell into Chase. He steadied her.
"Ok... I am officially creeped out." Lola said. "Can we go home?"
"Are you insane!" Michael hissed. "I'm not going out there,"
"We're sitting ducks in here." Chase said. Logan bit his lip.
"I don't believe in ghosts." Zoey said, almost straightly. There was a quaver to her voice as another scream echoed from the cemetery. "It's some kid, thinking it's fun to come into an old churchyard on halloween." She nodded. "Come on Dustin."
"My name's not Dustin." He said, for fear of Rose Loller hearing her say 'Dustin' "My name is... Bob."
"Bob?" She asked him.
"Yeah... Bob." He pulled his hood up over his head and skulked low beside his sister as everyone reluctantly made their way to the solid oak doors. The ornate carvings appeared ominous and frightning in the atmosphere and torchlight.
The cemetery seemed just as they had left it. Misty and cold, the odd cross or angel peering out of the fog at them. The scream erupted again and Zoey turned backwards hurriedly, again getting the feeling she was being watched.
"It came from behind the chapel..." Lola said. Everyone knew that they would have to go in that direction to exit. Logan looked hopefully at the fence, but the 6 foot tall spikes were too big for even Chase to manage he was sure of it.
"Well... It's time to catch ourselves a 'ghost'" Zoey said. She couldn't drag her little brother along anymore, because he had become too frightened. "Dus... 'Bob'... come on. You wanna get out of here dot'cha?"
"I... yeah but..." Another scream came and this time it seemed a lot closer. "I'm fine here." He made to run inside the church but Chase grabbed him.
"C'mere." He hoisted Dustin onto his back like a piggy back.
"He's not too heavy for you?" Zoey asked worriedly.
"Yeah uhm no... I work with Coach Keller." He nodded. "I can lift anything." Zoey seemed impressed.
Everyone slowly crossed the church yard, jumping or jolting as dry October twigs were stepped on or a scarf was dropped and trailed across leaves. Every little noise seemed like an earthquake and Zoey's heart was beating so hard she was sure it would come out of her chest. They were most definitely going towards the screaming rather than away from it. The church corner was approaching and soon they would have a full view of the other side of the cemetery, Logan was confused and scared of what they may see.
"Holy mother of..." Michael trailed off turning the camera on the scene. Sat on a gravestone was a woman, deathly pale, almost glowing hands, very thin and very elegant, she was wearing a wedding dress and screaming. The veil covered her face and the dress trailed on the ground.
"Oh my god." Lola screamed holding tightly onto Logan.
"That's... not possible..." Logan said in horror. "I made her up! She can't be here!" He breathed. "I made her up!"
"She looks pretty real to me!" Zoey squawked. Dustin gripped so hard around Chase's neck he could hardly breathe.
"What do we do?"
"She doesn't seem to have noticed us..." Michael said, loving every second of the spielbergesque gold, but also terrified for his life.
"Maybe we can run for it..." Suggested Lola.
"I'm wearing heels." Zoey said. Lola looked at her own feet and nodded.
"Can't you girls take your shoes off?" Logan demanded quietly. Zoey and Lola looked at each other. But Chase spoke.
"No. The ground is full of broken glass, drug needles, hedgehogs, mice skeletons... they'd never get across." He said thoughtfully. "Carry them."
"What?"
"Logan you take Dus...Bob. He's the lightest." Chase unloaded Dustin. "Michael you carry Lola. I'll carry Zoey, and we run for it. But whatever you do..." He looked at the ghost lady who was now standing. "DON'T fall." Zoey bit her lip, slightly worried Chase wouldn't be able to hold her. Michael nodded and hitched Lola onto his back, handing her the camera.
Chase lifted Zoey bridal-style.
"Everyone holding on?" Logan asked. The girls nodded, Dustin nodded.
"We should go two at a time..." Michael said. "Harder to catch."
"Ok... we'll meet at the bus stop." Zoey said, her arms around the back of Chase's neck.
"If we make it..." Logan gulped. Michael bit his lip.
"Here goes nothing." he said. He hurried quickly as he could down the path, Lola on his back gripping his shoulders tightly with her talon like long nails. They passed right by Rose, Michael was vaguely able to see a nose protruding the veil slightly, unlike Lola who clenched her eyes shut. He fumbled with the creaky gate, terrified that Rose was chasing them, and with that the two were out. The graveyard was enclosed with trees so there was no way of knowing what happened to them after that.
Rose screamed again but other than that seemed unpeturbed by the runners. She was stood up, trailing her pale fingers over the writing on a tombstone.
"Well..." Chase said looking at Zoey. "You ready?" Zoey gave a frightened nod. Chase looked at rose, then at the gate and how far they were from it. "Zo... if we don't... If I... if you..." He paused then dipped down and kissed her very quickly. Not another word was spoken between the two as Chase rushed down the slope towards the gate. Again Rose didn't even seem to notice the passers by, but Chase still ran as if fearing for their lives. Zoey kept her eyes open, and took a good look at the ghostly figure before she disappeared into the shrubbery behind the gate. They hurried through the trees and crashed into something very hard and fell backwards. Zoey screamed, Chase shielded his face.
"MICHAEL?!" Zoey demanded. "We were supposed to meet at the bus stop."
"Lola wanted to make sure everyone got out all right..." He said. Zoey stood up and dusted herself off.
"Well... I guess we should wait for Logan and Dusti...Bob..." he paused. "Dustin." Chase said awkwardly. Everyone nodded and looked back up the pitch black path.
"Ready little man?" Logan asked with a gulp. Dustin shook his head.
"If you ever tell me a story again I'm gonna believe it." He said. They started off down the path, but they had barely gone three feet when Rose turned, now facing them. Logan took a step backwards. "Keep running!" Dustin urged, but Rose was already walking towards them, almost gliding over the leaves as her dress rustled them. "SHE'S AFTER ME SHE'S AFTER ME!" Dustin howled. "DUSTIN WITH A D NOT A J NOT A J!" He was becoming more and more hysterical and Logan couldn't hold on any longer and dropped him.
"LEAVE US ALONE." Logan barked, but she seemed unphased, getting closer. Logan took a step back, tripping over Dustin and landing laid down. "Uhm... leave us alone... please?" he whimpered. "TAKE HIM!" he said as she was now only a foot away. "TAKE HIM LEAVE ME ALONE!" He covered his face and screamed.
"I noticed something weird about Rose she..." Zoey started, but she was cut off by the screaming from further up the path. It was definitely a male scream this time. Zoey panicked.
"DUSTIN!" She breathed to the others. Chase grabbed her hand and they set off back to the cemetery, Zoey tripping and stumbling on her heels.
"Ok why are we running TOWARDS the ghost!" Lola cried. Michael hoisted her up again and took her back, following the others.
Dustin was sat howling and crying in a pile of leaves at Logan's left, and Logan was laid cowering and screaming infront of the ghostly figure. Zoey hurried behind them, Chase tried to go for Dustin but Zoey went straight for the glory. She grabbed the veil and yanked it down from behind. Brown hair tumbled down from her back and a sheepish looking pale girl looked up.
"QUINN!" Michael breathed having just shown up. "We were running all this time... from QUINN!" He was out of breath from having run Lola half way down and up a hill.
"WHAT!" Logan howled. Zoey fell to her knees and cuddled her little brother who was shaking horrifically, she stroked his hair and shushed him. "HOW... HUH... WHY... WHA... EXPLAIN!" He demanded brokenly.
"I took my bike..." She said. "It beat your bus because it didn't have to stop for passengers. I changed in the church, and put my clothes under one of the pews, careful not to disturb any dust..." Quinn bit her lip. "I covered myself in liquid talcum powder to make myself look glowy..." She showeed off her insanely white hands which close up were slightly dusty "I snuck out of the back door of the church just as you guys came in. I watched you for a little... then waited until you'd settled and started screaming."
"WHY..." Logan demanded. "Why would you do that!? Why the hell did you scare everyone like that..."
"Yeah dude you practically made Dustin wet his pants." Michael said looking at Dustin who was now a lot calmer but still crying.
"NOBODY." she breathed. "NOBODY calls me a spaz. I HATE that word." She looked forlorn. "I didn't mean to terrify Dustin..." She mumbled. "And if you hadn't have come and tore my veil off... I would have exacted my revenge on Logan and left Dustin alone I swear it..."
"Yeah uhm... how DID you know she was a fake?" Chase asked in wonder.
"Easy..." Zoey smiled. She took Quinn's hand and pointed to the watch on her wrist. "Old timey ghosts don't wear digital watches. I tried to tell you guys, but then Logan screamed like a little girl." She looked pointedly at Logan, who was finally getting to his feet. Quinn looked at her watch.
"Curse you technology."
"Quinn I... I'm sorry." He mumbled looking at the ground. Quinn huffed.
"You promised never to do it again."
"I only promised because you threatened to turn me into a girl whilst I slept!" he protested looking at the girl infront of him. She went from airy and angry to suddenly sad again.
"Oh..." She said softly. Zoey felt very sorry for her friend at this moment in time and wanted to punch Logan for doing this to her.
"Why do you care what I think so much anywho?" He asked, sticking his hands in his jeans pockets.
"Maybe a friend doesn't break a promise." her voice was sad, and slightly sore from all the screaming. "Maybe a friend doesn't treat a friend like trash all the time. I'd be the exact same way if it were anyone else who treated me this way Logan..."
"Ok... I won't say it anymore." He shrugged. "Promise..." He added dipping his head slightly to catch her eyes.
"Ok you two hug and make up." Lola chirruped. Quinn looked at Lola as if she was insane, and Logan looked at the sky. "Quick one?" Lola pleaded. Quinn darted forward and hugged Logan who hugged her back but they quickly let go of each other.
"Good... can we go home now?" Chase asked, having had enough torture for one night.
"Sure." Quinn laughed. Everyone set off down the hill, Chase once again carrying Dustin, but Quinn stopped them half way. "My clothes..." She said awkwardly. Everyone looked at Logan.
"Why me?" He moaned.
"Because... you owe her." Zoey said. "Now go."
"Yeah you know it's not like haunted or anything now." Said Michael. "So just hurry up." Logan reluctantly headed back up to the church, taking Michael's flash light with him. He muttered darkly about 'Evil little girls' and 'dumb ghost stories' The church echoed his mumblings as he bent down looking under all the pews for Quinn's clothes. He found them and straightened up coming face to face with a veiled person in a wedding dress.
"Justin?" She whispered softly.
"Haha very funny Quinn." He said sarcastically. "Come on. They'll leave without us." And he left the church expecting her to follow him. he arrived back and handed Quinn her clothes. "Here's your... wait... wait how did you..." He breathed trying to figure out how Quinn had moved so fast.
"How did I what?" She questioned smoothing out the wrinkles in her blouse.
"Get from the church back down here so fast..." he asked eventually.
"Quinn's been here the whole time." Zoey said looking at Logan in confusion.
There was a cry of anguish from inside the church and Logan's eyes lit up with fright.
"LET'S GET OUT OF HERE." he begged and everyone left at a fast walking pace.
"Happy Halloween." Everyone said bidding their friends good night. Nobody had believed Logan when he said he saw Rose Loller in the church, and he thus went to bed in a bad mood. Zoey removed Chase's jacket and handed him it. He paused.
"Keep it... it looked good on you." He said eventually. Zoey blushed.
"Thanks... and thanks for protecting us out there..." She mumbled. Chase nodded.
"Yeah don't mention it. Any time you need rescuing from Quinn in a dress... just let me know." Zoey nodded, then cautiously dipped up and kissed his cheek. "Happy halloween." And she left.
Quinn headed to her room but stopped at a figure in a white wedding dress.
"Nice work." She told her boyfriend with a smirk. "And you called him Justin?" Mark removed the veil.
"Yes, now can I PLEASE go to sleep?" He begged her. She nodded.
"Yeah, you can. See you studmuffin." She smiled twinkling her fingers. Mark went into his own room muttering.
"Next time we go see 'Zombie Einstein Ate My Brain'." He grumbled again before closing the door.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE
Kitten Lovell.